Pyecombe

Introduction

35.1 Pyecombe is located at the junction of the A23 and A273, three miles to the south of Hassocks and four miles south of Albourne. It is located in the lower undulating part of the South Downs between Wolstonbury Hill and Clayton Hill to the north, and West Hill to the south. This provides the village with a very attractive countryside setting, being surrounded by rising downland in the heart of the Sussex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The South Downs Way long distance bridleway crosses the A23 at Pyecombe and passes the village on its eastern side.

35.2 The village itself is split into two separate parts which are about half a mile apart. The western part of the village, known as Pyecombe Street, consists of a small cluster of buildings on the northern side of the A23. Access is from a slip road off the A23 which leads onto the lane known as Pyecombe Street, which runs north-south through the settlement, and from which its name is derived.

35.3 The eastern and largest part of the village is known as Pyecombe Village and is located at the fork of the A23 and the A273. This area is bisected north-south by Church Lane and the Wyshe, and east-west by Church Hill and School Lane. The focus of the village is the cross-roads where these roads meet.

35.4 Both parts of the village are affected by the sight and sound of traffic using the A23 trunk road. Improvements to the A23 have, however, taken traffic several metres further away from Pyecombe Street. A local service road now connects the two parts of the village without the need to use the A23. Pyecombe is served by facilities including a pub, garage and petrol filling station, church and a children’s play area.

Policies and Proposals

Built-up Area Boundary

35.5 Built-up area boundaries are defined for Pyecombe village and Pyecombe Street in order to conserve the rural setting of the village and to protect the surrounding countryside from unnecessary development.

Conservation Area

35.6 In recognition of the special character of both Pyecombe and Pyecombe Street a small Conservation Area was designated in each part of the village in January 1989.

35.7 In Pyecombe the Conservation Area is focused on the Church Lane/School Lane cross-roads. It includes the medieval Parish Church, which is Grade I listed, the Old School House dating from the early 19th century, also listed, and the Forge, formerly famous for the production of shepherds crooks. In Pyecombe Street the Conservation Area concentrates on The Street and the properties that line it, including Pyecombe Manor which is a listed building dating from the 16th century. It also extends eastward along London Road to include Dale House, The Old Rectory and Frithmans.

35.8 The following features, in particular, contribute to the character of the Conservation Area:

• the attractive grouping of buildings around the Church Hill/School Lane cross- roads;

• the 12th century parish church with its surrounding stone wall;

• the presence of trees, hedges, banks and walls around and between the buildings;

• views into and out of the village; and

• the use of traditional building materials such as flint, tile hanging, render, clay roof tiles and roofing slates.

Areas of Importance for Nature Conservation

35.9 Immediately to the north of Pyecombe village is the Wolstonbury Hill Site of Special Scientific Interest. Within the Parish of Pyecombe there are also two Sites of Nature Conservation Importance. The first site, Cow Down consists of two north-east facing coombes on the chalk escarpment above Pyecombe. Here, there are areas of very species-rich sward. The second site, Pangdean downland, is a steep, south-facing slope with extremely herb-rich chalk grassland.

Housing

Land at Church Lane

35.10 A site was identified at Pyecombe Village in the 1990 South Mid Sussex Local Plan for up to 12 dwellings. This allocation has not yet been implemented and has been retained as a proposal in this Local Plan. An extension to the site previously allocated in the 1990 South Mid Sussex Local Plan and the Deposit Draft Mid Sussex Local Plan 2000, generates a total site area of 1 hectare, allowing for an increase in the number of dwellings to 20, 30% of which to be affordable housing units. There is a need for a casual kickabout area which should be provided in association with the development. Recent investigations in the adjacent area suggest that this site is on the possible location of the original Medieval Village and may also be on the site of Bronze Age and Roman remains.

PY1 Land between Church Lane and the A273 in Pyecombe Village (approximately 1 hectare) is allocated for residential development to provide approximately 20 dwellings, 30% to be affordable housing units. Permission will be subject to the general requirements of the Local Plan, particularly policies G3 (Infrastructure), B2 (Design), H2 (Dwelling Mix), H4 (Affordable Housing), T4 (New Development) and R3 and R4 (Outdoor Playing Space).

a) access from Church Lane;

b) the provision of a comprehensive landscaping scheme;

c) the provision of suitable noise attenuation measures throughout the development to protect the amenities of new residents;

d) within the site provision to be made for a grassed casual kickabout area of 0.2 hectares (in the area indicated on the Proposals Map Inset); and

e) financial contributions towards civic amenity facilities and the provision of additional secondary school places in Hassocks and enlarging the existing primary school at Albourne.

35.11 The Council is preparing a development brief for this site which will be approved as supplementary planning guidance.

35.12 Elsewhere within the built-up area boundary of the village there will only be limited opportunities for residential infill and the redevelopment of existing sites. When considering any proposals for infilling within the grounds of The Old Rectory, Dale House and Frithmans in London Road, and within the area known as Bennetts Green in Pyecombe Village, particular attention will be given to the fact that these are low density residential areas and the Local Planning Authority will endeavour to maintain them as such.